Sexual Violence in the Returning Population Curriculum 1 in the Returning and Healing Training Slide 2: Returning and Healing IMAGE: Van Diagram showing the overlapping interest of "formerly incarcerated survivors of sexual violence" between Re-Entry Agencies and Rape Crisis Centers: Slide 3: Goals for today: 1. What is sexual violence, and what are some common impacts? 2. Why is talking about sexual violence important in re-entry? Slide 4: Sexual Violence and its impacts Slide 5: Sexual Violence Any sexual activity done to someone without their consent. Slide 6: Traumatic event Events outside the range of normal human experience Experienced as overwhelming, incomprehensible and senseless threats to oneŐs life The individual is powerless and unable to exert control over their environment Powerlessness and a loss of control are key components of sexual trauma. Slide 7: Sexual Violence Reactions IMAGE: phases of sexual violence reactions 1. Immediate 2. Outward adjustment 3. retriggering/resolution the phases are not necessarily linear, but can be cyclical Slide 8: Immediate Crisis Stage Feelings Ą Shame Ą Embarrassment Ą Fear Ą Sadness Ą Vulnerability Ą Anger Ą Anxiety Ą Numbness Ą Guilt Ą Confusion Ą Denial Ą Disbelief Ą Loss of Control Ą Others Behaviors Ą Isolation Ą Distrust Ą High startle response Ą Flashbacks Ą Nightmares Ą Intrusive thoughts Ą Others Thoughts Ą Safety concerns Ą Physical wellbeing Ą Denial Ą Confused Ą Overwhelmed Slide 9: Outward Adjustment Stage Feelings Ą Shame Ą Fear Ą Sadness Ą Anger Ą Anxiety Ą Denial Ą Disbelief Ą Others Behaviors Ą Strained relationships Ą Distrust of others Ą Normal functioning Ą Addictions/ substance use Ą Others Thoughts Ą Moving on? Ą Physical wellbeing Ą Suicidality Ą Self-blame Ą Others Slide 10: Retriggering/Resolution Feelings Ą Can feel good about overcoming experience Ą More like self Ą Sadness Ą Anger Ą Others Behaviors Ą Incorporates experience into life story Ą Growth Ą Healing Ą Giving up Ą Others Thoughts Ą CanŐt Ňget over itÓ Ą Will never feel ŇbetterÓ/ like themselves Ą Re-evaluation Ą Others Slide 11: What else affects the healing cycle? Ą Contextual Factors Đ Ongoing stressors Đ Support system Đ Life circumstances Ą Cultural Factors Đ How does your culture teach you to handle crisis? Ą Personal Style Variables Đ How do you generally handle life? Slide 12: Triggering Ą Traumatic memories are not stored like normal memories. Ą Recalling them can trigger physiological effects (release of hormones, etc). Ą People remembering trauma can feel like they are re-living the event. Slide 13: Potential Effects: Sexual Trauma Ą Suicidal/self-harming thoughts and behaviors Ą Erratic behavior Ą Drug/alcohol abuse Ą Flashbacks Ą Mood swings Ą Dissociation Ą Withdrawn/isolation Ą Increased aggression Ą Difficulty concentrating or following orders Slide 14: Sexual violence is about power and control ItŐs not about sex ItŐs not about desire Slide 15: Sexual Violence and Re-Entry Slide 16: Trauma experiences before incarceration: Female Prisoners California Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Survivors Behind Bars: Supporting Survivors of Prison Rape and Sexual Assault, 2010.: https://www.calcasa.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Survivors-Behind-Bars.pdf IMAGE: Pie Chart of Female Prisoners who experienced trauma before incarceration Ą 80% had experienced trauma Ą 20% had no prior experience Slide 17: Trauma experiences before incarceration: Male Prisoners National Institute of Justice, Early Childhood Victimization Among Incarcerated Adult Male Felons, 1998: https://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles/fs000204.pdf IMAGE: Pie Chart of Male Prisoners who experienced trauma before incarceration Ą 68% had experienced trauma Ą 32% had no prior experience Slide 18: Sexual Violence to Prison Pipeline Ą Girls in juvenile justice system experienced sexual assault at 4x the rate of boys Ą 22% were assaulted within 7 days before getting involved in justice system Ą Girls with history of sexual violence are 5x more likely to be re-arrested than without. Ą Close to 90% of adult women arrested were survivors of sexual violence. Sexual Abuse to Prison Pipeline: The GirlsŐ Story, Georgetown Law, 2017: https://www.law.georgetown.edu/poverty-inequality-center/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/02/The-Sexual-Abuse-To-Prison-Pipeline-The-Girls%E2%80%99-Story.pdf Slide 19: Cycle of GirlsŐ Imprisonment Georgetown Law and Ms. Magazine, Sexual Abuse to Prison Pipeline: The Girls Story (2017): https://www.law.georgetown.edu/poverty-inequality-center/wp-content/uploads/sites/14/2019/02/The-Sexual-Abuse-To-Prison-Pipeline-The-Girls%E2%80%99-Story.pdf IMAGE: Chart of Girls' Common reactions to Trauma and the cycle of abuse and imprisonment Ą Girls common reactions to trauma are criminalized and exacerbated by involvement in the juvenile justice system, leading to a cycle of abuse and imprisonment. Ą Sexual abuse occurs (sex trafficking, abusive home, poorly supervised child welfare placement); Ą unaddressed trauma, mental health, and physical health issues; reactive behavior; entry into juvenile justice (for prostitution, status offenses, incorrigible behavior); trauma symptoms triggered/new incidences of abuse; release into the community with exacerbated trauma symptoms; Trauma coping behaviors resume and/or re-entry into abusive environment; Ą New arrest occurs and cycle repeats and deepens. Slide 20: Why talk about sexual violence during re-entry? Jail: 3.2% Prison: 4% High-Risk: 8-12% 1 in 10 former state prisoners have reported experiencing sexual abuse while incarcerated. Dr. Alan Beck, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sexual Victimization in Prisons and Jails Reported by Inmates, 2011Đ12 Bureau of Justice Statistics, Sexual Victimization Reported By Former State Prisoners, 2008, May 2012) https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/svpjri1112.pdf Slide 21: What does sexual violence look like in prison? ? Debts or obligations ? Protective pairings for protection ? Gang involvement ? In exchange for drugs ? For additional privileges, visitation, or phone usage (especially if staff are perpetrators) ? Malicious searches or retaliation for other incidents Slide 22: Trauma impacts re-entry success What do re-entering people struggle with during re-entry? Where do they have difficulty re-integrating with their communities? Slide 23: Recent Report Trauma-Informed Approaches for Programs Serving Fathers in Re-Entry: A Review of the Literature and Environmental Scan (2018) IMAGE: Screen shot of the Report Cover Trauma-Informed Approaches for Programs Serving Fathers in Re-Entry: A Review of the Literature and Environmental Scan from July 2018: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/trauma-informed-approaches-for-programs-serving-fathers-in-re-entry-a-review-of-the-literature-and-environmental-scan Slide 24: Key Findings ŇTrauma in fathers who are re-entering society appears to be prevalent. However, compared to what is known about trauma in women, children, and combat veterans, little information is available on the prevalence, experience, and impact of trauma among nonmilitary men, especially low-income men of color. Trauma may complicate the ability of men in fatherhood programs to achieve positive outcomes. Past traumas, the incarceration experience itself, and the return to disadvantaged communities with few resources and job opportunities likely compound the difficulty these men experience in successfully re-entering the community.Ó Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, US Department of Health and Human Services, Trauma Informed Approaches for Programs Serving Fathers in Re-entry, 2018: https://www.acf.hhs.gov/opre/resource/trauma-informed-approaches-for-programs-serving-fathers-in-re-entry-a-review-of-the-literature-and-environmental-scan Slide 25: WhatŐs more important? IMAGE: Chart about what is important for successful re-entry immediate concrete needs, healthy coping techniques, and soft skills (job training) Slide 26: Questions and reactions? Slide 27: Next Curriculum ? How to talk with returning people about sexual violence ? How to respond if they indicate they want to talk about it Slide 28: Boston Area Rape Crisis Center 99 Bishop Allen Drive Cambridge, MA Office: 617-492-8306 Hotline: 617-492-7273 DaveŐs desk: 617-649-1264 DRini@BARCC.org